The invention relates to a device for training the body of a user, including a mechanism arranged to be operated by limbs of the user.
Such devices, sometimes called crosstrainers, are, in general, in use in fitness centres or sport schools for condition or strength training. Crosstrainers are devices provided with a combination of foot pedals and movement arms, by means of which a flywheel configuration can be driven by the user. By means of the foot pedals the apparatus (i.e. the flywheel configuration) is brought into and kept in movement, wherein the movement arms move along with the foot pedals. The movement arms are not primarily used to bring the apparatus into and keep in movement. The strength is especially originating from and exercised by the user's legs, exercising a circular/elliptic driving movement to the foot pedals or foot bars, due to which the known crosstrainer is fit for condition training but not for strength and muscle training (the flywheel configuration is mainly actuated/driven by the foot pedals or foot bars and the arm movements are mainly auxiliary/dependent).
U.S. Pat. No. 2,603,486 discloses a training apparatus comprising two arms, where, however, each of them must (simultaneously) be operated by both arms and legs of the user (each lever has a hand grip and a foot pedal). In this well-known apparatus a flywheel is operated via connection rods linked to a large pulley. By means of a belt between the large pulley and a small pulley, which is attached to the flywheel, the movement of the levers is transferred to the flywheel. This arrangement of two connecting rods positioned 180.degree. apart on a pulley or crank has the disadvantage that two dead centre positions are obtained when the levers, moving in opposite phase, are in their extreme positions. These dead centre positions also cause a non-smooth movement of the levers in their extreme positions, which is unpleasant for the user. Furthermore the training apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 2,603,486 suffers from the disadvantage that the user must stop the movement of flywheel and the linked levers by applying considerable effort.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,099 discloses another training apparatus, which must be operated with the legs of the user. In this well-known apparatus belts and belt wheels are used for operating a flywheel.